QP: Gesturing to an empty chair

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The prime minister was in town but not present, while his deputy and most of the other leaders were also away. Pierre Poilievre led off in French, and asserted that Justin Trudeau has not fired his “misleading and incompetent” public safety minister because he also knew about Paul Bernardo’s transfer and did nothing about it, before he pretended that Trudeau was present and afraid to answer. Mark Holland dismissed the notion that anyone would have sympathy for Bernardo, and that Correctional Services were independent. They each went the same around in English, practically verbatim, before Poilievre insisted that the government had the power to block the transfer, somehow. Holland insisted that they should not politicise Corrections. Poilievre tried to call the absent Trudeau out, didn’t really get cautioned by the Speaker, and demanded that the government pass their bill on ensuring all mass murderers stay in maximum security forever. Holland again tried to insist that they not politicise Corrections. Poilievre gave another plea for unanimous support for that bill (which I doubt is even constitutional), and Holland says they are ready to have conversations about not politicising Corrections, and that they wait for the review of the transfer.

Christine Normandin led for the Bloc, and she demanded that they announce a public inquiry before the end of the sitting, to which Marco Mendicino said that he was encouraged by their willingness to work together. Normandin insisted that the Bloc would not let this go, and insisted that a public inquiry commissioner be approved by the House (which is a bad idea) and be completed in a few months (which is literally impossible). Mendicino recited that an option of a public inquiry is on the table.

Peter Julian rose for the NDP, and in French, he listed the number of ministers who are apparently unable to read their emails and worried about re-traumatising Bernardo’s victims. Holland reminded him that it’s important that Correctional Services remain independent. Julian repeated his question in English, and Holland gave him much the same answer.

Round two, and Michelle Ferreri got back up to rail that Trudeau did nothing about Bernardo (Holland: Assertions that the prime minster doesn’t care doesn’t help the discussion), Leslyn Lewis demanded Mendicino resign (Mendicino: Let me express my support for the victims’ families), and Dominique Vien gave the French version (Holland: We are all concerned by our correctional system is independent; Mendicino: I took necessary action when I was informed).

Kristina Michaud blasted the Mendicino and Blair and their staff not informing them (Mendicino: I took necessary actions; The responsibility is to identify challenges and correct course, which we did; Holland: The Prime Minister was told of a possibility in March and informed when it actually happened).

Shelby Kramp-Neuman over-acted as she recited her script about Bernardo (Holland: The assertion that this is a decision of government is false and dangerous), Michelle Rempel Garner insisted the government should have tabled a bill on maximum security offenders (Holland: We need to have a mature conversation).

Jenny Kwan demanded that international students caught up by fraud be given a pathway to citizenship rather than just halting deportation orders (Fraser: We announced a task force for then to ensure their innocence and to let then complete studies), and Lindsay Mathyssen demanded a windfall tax on grocery chains (Fillmore: The minister has asked the Competition Bureau to use their tools to ensure grocery chains are not gouging).

Round three saw questions on the Bernardo transfer and calling for Mendicino’s resignation (Mendicino: Your question is false), a Canadian being coerced back to China and Chinese “police stations” (Mendicino: Listen to the RCMP, who are taking action; We added $49 million in the budget for the RCMP to combat foreign interference), the Bell Media cuts (Rodriguez: The Conservatives keep opposing our attempts to save news media), the Asian investment bank (Boissonnault: We have frozen activities with the Bank, and the department will carry out an investigation with our allies), rental prices (Gould: Canadians are tired of the hypocrisy of the Conservatives holding up measures for affordability), carbon prices/the clean fuel standard (Guilbeault: You campaigned on a platform to implement a clean fuel standard; Hutchings: We re-opened veterans affairs offices and Coast Guard stations while we raised taxes on the wealthiest and helping Canadians), a First Nation that doesn’t have its own school (Hajdu: We have worked to closed the gaping infrastructure gap the previous government left, and we have reversed the trend and we will ensure every community has a school), and the seizure of the Russian cargo plane but not seizing Iranian assets (Joly: We are holding the Russian regime to account, but with Iran, we are holding that regime accountable).

Overall, it was once again fairly repetitive today on the subject of Bernardo and Mendicino, though Mark Holland took a lot more of the fire on Mendicino’s behalf today than he did yesterday, but the last third saw a lot more variety today than yesterday, which was a small mercy. This being said, it appears that the Speaker simply decided to not enforce the rule around not pointing out the presence or absence of someone in the Chamber, when Poilievre and a number of his MPs all asserted that Trudeau was in town today but was not answering their questions. They were trying to be cute about not saying that he was or was not in the Chamber, but again, you can’t do indirectly what you can’t do directly, and Speaker Rota was completely useless about this today, as he is most days. 

Sartorially speaking, snaps go out to Iqra Khalid for a sleeveless black bouffant dress, and to Maninder Sidhu for a tailored dark blue suit with a crisp white shirt and a purple tie. Style citations go out to John Williamson for a light tan suit with a cream shirt and red striped tie, and to Marci Ien for a shapeless tan smock-dress with pink florals. Dishonourable mention goes out to Darrell Samson for a black suit and bow tie with a pale yellow shirt.